Air flow induction and diffusing nozzle



Patented Feb. 27, 1951 AIR FLOW INDUCTION AND DlFFUSING NOZZLE Ben Cones, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application June 12, 1948,, Serial No. 321,715

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a nozzle having for its primary purpose the creation by flow of air from a pipe into a flue of an increased draft in that flue together with an intermixing of the incoming air with the air already in the flue and which air is drawn into the flue through some lower opening therein. The invention is to be applied to a heating and ventilating system wherein there is normally supplied to that system a flow of warm air through a duct, and that warm air is entered into a natural draft flue, the flue taking in air from an opening near the floor of the room and discharging the air from another opening above the nozzle which is entered into the flue to induce the flow of air upwardly through the flue and also to intermix the Warm air with the flue air as above indicated.

Another primary object of the invention is to provide an extremely simplified structure which may be inserted and fixed in the end of the warm air conduit within the flue itself. A further important advantage of the invention resides in the fact that there are no moving parts required, but to the contrary all parts are stationary.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention, as illustrated in the accompaning drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section through a flue within which the invention is applied; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal transverse section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, I form a head generally designated by the numeral H) to have a lower section which is substantially an inverted conical or conoidal shape. This section is designated by the numeral i I. Then there is an upper section designated by the numeral I2 which is substantially spherical or possibly spheroidal, the under side of which represents the diametrical plane through the sphere form and which coincides in diameter with the upper end of the section II. That is the section I2 extends upwardly from the section The two sections II and i2 are axially aligned one with the other, and there is a central tube I3 which extends in axial alignment through both the sections II and I2, the upper and lower ends of those sections being sealed olf against the tube I3. This tube I3 has a length projecting downwardly from the section I l, externally thereof, and also has a length extending upwardly externally of the upper section I2.

The lower section II has secured thereto a plurality of mounting fins indicated by the number I4, there being four of such fins in the present showing. The external vertical edges I5 of these fins I4 lie within a circle, the diameter of which is equal to or less than the diameter of the juncture circle I6 which is between the upper and lower sections II and I2 respectively.

The fins I 6 are inserted within the open end of a warm air pip I1, Fig. 2. This pipe I! is herein shown as being entered centrally within a ventilating flue IS. The fins I4 are secured to the pipe I! by any suitable means, herein shown as by screws I9 passed through the wall of the pipe I! and through flanges 2!! provided on the outer ends of the fins I4.

As indicated in Fig. 2, when the structure above defined is secured to the end of the pipe H, the lower end of the tube I3 will be down within the opening of the pipe I I. The diameter at the line I6 of the head It will be substantially equal to the internal diameter of the pipe I'I.

Assuming warm air to be flowing vertically upwardly in the pipe ii, that air will discharge outwardly around the surface of the head section I I to be deflected toward the wall of the flue i8. From thence the air will eddy and flow inwardly and upwardly to be mixed with air in the flue. The flow of the air from the end of the pipe I! upwardly around the section I I and over the top section I2 will tend to induce an increased upward flow of air within the flue it from below the open end of the pipe IT. This air may be that which is taken from the room to be ventilated and heated, or it may be pulled from some outside source all as may be predetermined. In the form herein shown, there is an opening 2H provided in the wall of the flue i8 primarily for the purpose of adjusting a flow control damper 22 within the pipe ll in order to control the flow of air upwardly from the head It) through the flue I8. Air may come through this opening 2|, or it may be closed off if desired.

In the flow of air upwardly from the end of the pipe I! to discharge into the flue IS, a part of the air coming up in that pipe I! will travel vertically upwardly through the central tube I3 without having been deflected laterally. This central directed flow of air is quite important in securing the proper mixture as well as induced flow of air within the flue I8 from the head I0 and upwardly. After the air starts to 3 flow past the plane'defined by the line IS, the air may assume an increasing volume, which would tend to slow down the flow. However this flow is further induced to continue upwardly by reason of the upwardly flow of air leaving the top end of the tube [3.

The use of the semi-spherical upper member ID is not by accident nor by whim, but it is employed to perform a very definite object in controlling the flows of two air currents. Normally one would expect to find the semi-spherical member In reversed in position in respect to the conical member H when considering air flows, because that reversal of positions would be that which would be expected. The minimum resistance to the flow of air upwardly would be had in that reversal of positions. However I am not concerned Primarily with the effect of resistance to air flows. The concern is first with the introduction of a definite proportioning of fresh air into a definite volume of used air taken from a room, such as a school class room for example.

In addition to the proper mixing of the air, as well as the total volume discharged from the upper portion of the flue above the diffusing nozzle, there must be that primary factor present of a performance whereby there is silence rather than any noise or whistling action of the air.

The pipe i! as has above been designated, is a warm air pipe, and conducts air upwardly within the flue 3 at a relatively low rate of speed, or what is known as a low velocity. Significantly, the upper end of the pipe i! is not flared outwardly in any respect whatsoever, but has an open end of the same diameter as that of the pipe proper.

The rising air in the pipe 51, strikes the conical surface of the element in to be deflected outwardly around the outer wall of the flue i8 so that that air will fill in that space around the base of the semi-spherical member l2, and by reason of its upper direction and velocity, will pull air upwardly from the lower portion of the flue !8 along therewith. Now as is well known in the study of air flow over various surfaces, the air in flowing upwardly from the plane of the base of the semi-spherical member i2 designated by the numeral i6 will tend to continue outwardly therefrom, and in so doing will induce or rather create a partial vacuum around over that spherical surface of the member 12 between that plane l6 and the pipe 13 which extends centrally through the upper portion of that surface.

able eddy effect around over this spherical surface all with the final result that some of the air will be pulled inwardly from that annular column tending to rise in the flue I? from the diametrical portion IE, to not only insure more mixing of the two columns of air, but further to produce that vacuum which is desirable across the mouth of the upper end of the pipe i3. In other words a good ejector action is set up by the very presence of that spherical surface embodied over the end of the conical surface.

By reason of this peculiar construction, I am not only able to achieve that flow of air, but I am able to do so in the absence of any sound or noticeable vibration.

Thus it is to be seen that I have produced a very simple and novel head combining a diffusing and induction action within a vertical flue In fact, there will be a considerwhereby warm air may be mixed with cooler air and at the same time speed up flow in the flue itself. While I have herein shown the structure in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural variations may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an air circulating system including a flue, and an air supply pipe extending into and substantially axially of the flue, a diffusing and ejector head comprising in combination a lower inverted substantially conical section; an upper, substantially semi-spherical section joined at its diametrical plane with the upper end of said conical section; a tube extending axially through both of said sections to have open ends respectively above and below said sections; and means for mountin said head to have the lower end of said tube within said pipe and the lower end of said conical section spaced from the pipe.

2. In an air circulating system including a flue, and an air supply pipe extending into and substantially axially of the flue, a diffusing and ejector head comprising in combination a lower inverted substantially conical section; an upper, substantially semi-spherical section joined at its diametrical plane with the upper end of said conical section; a tube extending axially through both of said sections to have open ends respectively above and below said sections; and means for mounting said head to have the lower end of said tube within said pipe and the lower end of said conical section spaced from the pipe; said mounting means comprising radial fins extending longitudinally of and interposed between said conical section and said pipe.

3. In an air circulating system including a flue, and an air supply pipe extending into and substantially axially of the flue, a diffusin and.

ejector head comprising in combination a lower inverted substantially conical section; an upper, substantially semi-spherical section joined at its diametrical plane with the upper end of said conical section; a tube extending axially through both of said sections to have open ends respectively above and below said sections; and means for mounting said head to have the lower end of said tube within said pipe and the lower end of said conical section spaced from the pipe; the major transverse diameter of said head not exceeding the internal diameter of said pipe.

BEN CONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 92,617 Lecky July 13, 1869 254,146 Marks Feb. 28, 1882 288,914 Bannister Nov. 20, 1883 449,486 Lord Mar. 31, 1891 574,369 Anderson Jan. 5, 1897 1,516,047 Lewis Nov. 18, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,657 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1889 

